Today is National Wear Red Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness and promoting women's heart health. Each year, on the first Friday in February, millions of women and men come together to wear red, take action and commit to fighting this deadly disease. Show your support by wearing red today, Friday, February 1st?
Here are a few things you may not know about Heart Disease in women.
• Heart disease is the #1 killer for women
• One woman in three dies of heart disease
• More women’s lives are taken by heart disease than all cancers combined
• Heart disease kills more women than men
Ninety percent of women have one or more risk factors for developing heart disease. Heart disease risk factors for women are high cholesterol, diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking, obesity, lack of physical activity, stress, age, race, and family history of heart disease.
Funds raised by Go Red For Women allow the American Heart Association to help women by offering educational programs, increase women's understanding about their risk for heart disease and support research to discover scientific knowledge about heart health.
Since the first National Wear Red Day 10 years ago, tremendous strides have been made in the fight against heart disease in women, including:
• 21% fewer women dying from heart disease
• 23% more women aware that it's their No. 1 health threat
• Publishing of gender-specific results, established differences in symptoms and responses to medications and women-specific guidelines for prevention and treatment
• Legislation to help end gender disparities
But the fight is far from over as still hundreds of thousands of women still die each year. It's time to stand stronger, speak louder and join in the fight this National Wear Red Day. For more information visit http://goredforwomen.org
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